Back Again
by TDM9218
Summary: This is a lighter, funner song inspired story I'm working on. Rated T now but the next chapter or two should see that go up to an M. Hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

**So I was listening to Pandora while attempting to fall asleep this morning and Keith Urban's song "You Look Good in My Shirt" started playing. Which, of course, led my partially awake brain to create this (well at least the beginning of it). Hope you like it! And like always I wish I owned it, but I don't.

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It was a weekend and Andy was off, something that was rare for a rookie's schedule. She was feeling energetic in a good and productive way. She had woken up with a bounce in her step and a twinkle in her eye that hadn't been there for the past few months. She had made a 180 degree shift at the end of the winter, including breaking up with Luke and moving out of the gorgeous house he'd bought and into her own smaller, cozier place. She liked living in the row house. It was just blocks from the station, maybe a five minute walk. But there was more to it than that. It was hers, and it felt like a permanent home. That was new for her. Her apartments in the past hadn't felt like this and Luke's house sure as hell hadn't. Maybe that's why when she woke up that morning she hadn't minded in the slightest that she had to spend this amazing day cleaning the place up.

However, by the time she was done cleaning and having two glasses of wine to wind down she realized it was five o'clock, and she hadn't gotten to enjoy the beautiful springtime weather at all. She knew she would need to eat something soon, which nixed the idea of going for a run. _Well that settles it. I'll go to the store and get everything I need to make a homemade pizza. Then by the time it's ready the baseball game will be on_, she thought with a satisfied smile.

She grabbed her shopping bag and headed out the door. It was a fifteen minute walk to the store so she'd at least get to experience spring in all its glory for a while.

Meanwhile, Sam was just dragging himself into his house. He caught his reflection in the glass as he opened the door. _Man I look like crap._ He sighed. Six months undercover could definitely do that to you. He hadn't shaved in the past couple of weeks and his hair looked greasy. _In fact I look a lot like I did that day McNally tackled me in the alley_, he mused. _Oh don't go down that road again. She is the last person you need to be thinking about, now or ever. Remember, she moved in with Callaghan and you went undercover to escape. Yeah, yeah…. Lot of good that did…. _He groaned.

He dropped his bag at the door and went to the kitchen to scrounge up something to eat. After about twenty minutes of relentless searching he finally conceded that there was nothing worth eating, or for that matter drinking, in his house. _Well I guess I should go to the store before I sit down and never want to move again_, he sighed and walked right back out the way the front door. He climbed in the truck and started driving to the nearest supermarket.

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Andy wondered through the produce department. Absentmindedly picking up vegetables she could use as pizza toppings and fresh herbs. She always went through a few trying to pick the best. _Mmmm…. Spring always brings out the best produce_, she smiled already tasting the pizza warm from the oven and on her tongue.

That's when she spotted him. Well she wasn't exactly sure it was him. She was looking at the back of his head, but the man staring down the pre-mixed salads did look a lot like Sam from where she was standing. _Except it can't be Sam. Sam's supposed to be undercover_, her rational mind responded.

She decided she would wait in the least obvious way possible to catch a glimpse of his face. She didn't have long to wait. It wasn't even five minutes later that he turned glanced about the store without really looking at anything and moved on. He had decided that there was no way he was cooking tonight, and he wanted out of here quick so he'd come actually shop later.

Her breath caught in her chest. _It's Sam. My Sam_, she thought. Her heart was swelling with joy. There was no way he would be here in this supermarket so close to his home if he was still undercover. That meant that he was absolutely home safe, which was everything she had been hoping for for the last six months. _Well not everything_, she reminded herself. She had also been hoping that they would get together when he came back. She was over Luke, and everyday Sam had been gone had shown her another little reason she loved him. She had been imagining that he would show up on her doorstep and tell her he couldn't live without her the minute he got back, but he hadn't even called. _Who am I kidding? He didn't even tell me he was leaving in the first place_, she dejectedly thought. That had been the worst day of her life. _Don't go back there, McNally_, she gently reminded herself.

For a while she cautiously followed Sam through the store content just to be able to look at him. It was nice to be able to reassure herself that he was safe and well, even if he looked utterly exhausted and maybe a little dirty. _A lot like that day in the alley actually._ Sam wondered all the aisles, glancing everywhere, but didn't pick anything up. _In fact he doesn't even seem inclined to pick anything up, she thought. _Her curiosity had definitely been spiked.

When Sam got to the frozen foods section he stopped in front of the doors separating him from the frozen pizzas. This is the toughest decision _I'm going to have to make tonight_; he mentally psyched himself up for the challenge. _Hell it was hard to even pick out a salad._ When Andy saw what was captivating his attention an idea struck. Sam hadn't pulled off the totally romantic homecoming that she had dreamed about, but that didn't mean she couldn't do it for him.

She snuck up behind him and slipped her hands over his eyes. Sam tensed. His first instinct, after so long undercover, was to fight, but he reminded himself where he was and calmed down. "Who's this?" he snapped.

She knew he was testy but she wanted him to guess. So she simply stood there resolutely covering his eyes. He reached up to feel the hands blinding him. He knew they were small and definitely feminine when she placed them there, but his fingertips told him they were soft, with short nails, and no jewelry. _Well that rules out my sister, since she always keeps her nails long. Not that she would be here anyway, even though I did call her yesterday to let her know that I'd be coming home. It also rules out any of the married or engaged women I know. _

"Monica, if that's you…. I'm just really not in the mood for this," he grumbled. Andy dropped her hands. _Had those two been together before he'd gone undercover again? She_ silently questioned her judgment about the prank and her feelings.

Sam spun around. "McNally…" The silence hung on the air for what seemed like forever. "That's me," she replied, not sure where all her earlier confidence and bravado had gone. "What are you doing here?" he asked accusingly. _Don't tell me she's been coming all the way across town to be in "my space",_ he thought angrily. "I live a few blocks away now, Sam. This is the closest supermarket. I always shop here now."

"What about Luke? When I went away you two were playing house across town."

"Well lots of things change in six months, Sam. Like the fact that I broke it off with Luke and got my own place on this side of town." _She's single_, his mind practically jumped at the idea. _That's not what she said_, he had to remind himself to slow down. She was after all not very good for his mental health.

"Anyway, I noticed you're looking at pizzas. And a quick glance into your basket tells me you aren't in the mood for cooking, since you don't have anything that requires more than a minute of effort on your part. But I was here picking up the ingredients to make fresh, homemade pizza. You know the good kind?" she teased. "So if you want you can come over and share. I was planning on eating while I watched the game tonight." She hoped he'd take the deal._ If the home cooked meal doesn't do it maybe the game will_, she hoped.

"I just want to spend the night at home. My home," he said dismissing her offer. _There is no way I can be around her tonight without jumping her bones_, his mind realistically reminded him.

"Well then I can come over and cook at your place," she suggested. _There is no way he is getting out of this one that easy_, she grinned. _Damn this woman is persistent. And there is something absolutely breathtaking about that smile_, he thought. "Fine." He sighed. _This is going to be a long night._


	2. Chapter 2

**So here is the new chapter. Sorry it took so long. **

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Sam trudged through the grocery store as behind Andy as she collected the remaining ingredients. She was on cloud nine, so excited to get to spend the evening with him again. But he couldn't stop asking himself what he was thinking when he had said yes.

Once Andy was done getting the necessary items to prepare the sauce and crust, she wandered over to the drinks area to pick up some beer. "Sam, have any preferences?"

"Uh….. no. Anything is fine." He couldn't even imagine drinking with her, especially tonight._ This is a recipe for disaster, and it keeps getting worse_ he thought.

Andy stole a glance back at Sam_. He looks tired. And do I detect a little bit of apprehension in those eyes?_ She questioned her decision to push him into hanging out his first night back, but she ultimately decided that they needed this time. She grabbed a six pack of the only beer she had ever seen Sam drink.

_Damn. I'm surprised she remembers. That's my favorite beer._ He sighed. This was going to make it an even more difficult night. _How am I supposed to turn down drinking my favorite beer?_

Andy strode purposefully up to the register, with Sam following behind slow and unsure. _This is new. Sam is always the confident and bold one, and I always hang back. Well rookie no more, huh?_ She grinned. For once she knew exactly what she wanted, and she was following her own lead to get it.

_Wow. She's not the rookie I remember. She's so confident now. I wonder if she is still trying to fake it?_ Sam studied everything about Andy looking for the slightest hint of self-doubt in her posture, her movements, her facial expressions, her eyes, her tone, and her words. But he found none. He wasn't feeling that sure.

They stepped outside into the parking lot and Andy turned to face him. Sam froze. They stood staring at each other until the silence became awkward. Andy spoke up, once again trying her best to make the situation less awkward. "What are you waiting for, Sam? Aren't you going to drive us to your place."

He grinned. "Just making sure you haven't gotten a car or something in the last six months, McNally. Seems like everything else has changed." He looked down. _I can't believe I just said that_.

She smiled. _That's the first joke he's made today_. "Nope. That hasn't changed." She paused. "You know what else hasn't changed?"

_Uh oh…. Here comes the remark I've been dreading._ "What, McNally?"

"I'd still like to drive." She put her hand out for Sam's keys.

He laughed and handed them over._ There is just something about her now. If I thought she was irresistible then, she definitely is now._

Andy just grinned, took his keys, and jumped behind the wheel of his truck like she owned it. "So, were you planning on telling me how you've been for the past six months now that you know everything about my life?" Andy queried, without taking her eyes off the road.

Sam didn't know where to start. _Undercover work isn't the most pertinent to one's actual life…._ "Depends. What do you want to know?" he asked slightly defensive.

"Well, you could tell me about the case you've been working," Andy stated hoping to lower Sam's defenses by encouraging him to discuss something that was not in the slightest bit personal.

Sam willing spent the reminder of the ride home discussing the case that had taken over his life for the past six months.

"And now that you're back, what are your plans?" Andy turned and looked him straight in the eye as she parked his truck.

_She tricked me. I wasn't expecting that._ He inwardly groaned at how well her attempt at throwing him off his guard worked. "Well, I don't really have any, McNally."

"Back to patrol or are you planning on going undercover again? Or is there an opening with your name on it in some elite task force like Guns and Gangs?" she pushed_. I have to know that he is at least going to be around for a while if I'm going to take a huge risk putting myself out there_, she justified her probing.

"I think I'll probably go back to patrol for some time. There aren't any openings in Guns and Gangs right now, and the powers that be don't want me going undercover again so soon."

"So, are you seeing anyone?" She cursed herself silently for letting that one tell tell question slip.

He smirked. "Now, how am I supposed to see anyone that would carry over into my normal life when I've been undercover for the past six months, McNally?"

"Well the last time you went undercover, Monica waited for you under the impression that you were still together. You don't have someone waiting in the wings this time, Sam?" she hesitated before raising her eyes to meet his.

His breath caught in his throat. _Damn she is beautiful. I had almost forgotten what she can do to me with just one look_. He sighed. "Not that I know of." _Unfortunately, you weren't exactly into me and I didn't have eyes for anyone but you_, he thought bitterly.

She just smiled. _This night is getting better and better. _


	3. Chapter 3

**So I'm sorry that this took so long to get out. I've been really, really busy. This chapter finally gets to some Andy/Sam romance. Wasn't quite sure how I was going to write that, but I feel pretty good about it. Still wished I owned them, but unfortunately I don't. On a side note, I'm really, really excited about the upcoming second season though.**

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Sam was still reeling from the almost immediate barrage of personal questions Andy had assaulted him with as he stood behind her holding grocery bags as her steady capable hands unlocked his door (something he wasn't sure he would have pulled off so easily). Being around her like this with all the recent revelations was unnerving and getting to him more than he would care to admit. She led the way down his narrow foyer and into his kitchen.

The normally gleaming stainless steel appliances were covered in a fine layer of dust. Cabinets were left wide open and miscellaneous food items littered the countertops. He mentally kicked himself for not cleaning up after his exploration of his food stores yielded nothing edible.

She paused and looked around her. Sam's kitchen looked like a cross between a train wreck and a ghost town. She glanced back at him with a confused expression. For the first time that day she was not the picture of cool, calm control. Sam relished the reminder of the rookie he had left behind, but instantly wanted to return her to the self-confident and steady woman he had just seen her be.

They started to speak at the same time. "Sam, what the hell happened to your kitchen? Are you sure one exists under all this rubble? And where does all of this go?" "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to clean and then I made more of a mess trying to scrounge up food. I wasn't expecting company. Just clean a couple feet of counter space off. I'll put things away while you start cooking."

They laughed at the rants that they'd both launched into and then shared a knowing grin. Andy moved a few cans and boxes off the most easily accessible section of counter top and wiped it down with a paper towel from the roll that stood amongst the junk. Sam set the bags down on the newly cleaned surface and turned his attention to putting the rest of the space into some sort of order.

As Sam stacked boxes in their proper places meticulously, Andy occasionally asked for utensils while commencing food preparation. Sam would give her directions to finding the things she requested. The return of the balance towards the expected teacher-student roles was a comfort to Sam, who was finally able to relax. She was here, but in his mind he could still be in control of the situation.

He went to get a beer from the six -pack chilling in the fridge and grabbed a second for McNally. For the life of him he could not understand why, as he was opening the beers, he asked, "So fill me in on the details of your life? I've obviously missed a lot."

Andy grinned. She'd been waiting to have this conversation for too long. It had felt like an eternity. She launched into a lengthy explanation of her life since his disappearance. She unabashedly talked about feeling lost without him as her TO, breaking up with Luke and the self-revelations that went along with that, her dad's progress through AA, and the process of developing her own way of doing the job. She told him about the big busts of her first year and the disappointments of mistakes. They laughed. He gently teased her about her "rookie-like" mistakes, saying she would always be his rookie no matter how much she "grew up". But he also empathized with her over them, regretting that he hadn't been there to shepherd her through what for most cops was the most difficult time in their careers, the first year. He had given her a little knowledge and that was quite possibly the most dangerous thing, and he regretted not being there to teach her how to use that information. She assured him that she had turned out for the better and that none of her professional disappointments had been due to him. He grinned and congratulated her on becoming the amazing cop that he had told Sgt. Best she would be.

By this time Andy was sliding a freshly prepared pizza into the oven, and they were both on their second beer. Maybe it was the exhaustion and alcohol kicking in but Sam finally asked, "So have you started dating anyone now that Luke is out of the picture?" He immediately regretted his boldness and made himself promise to keep his mouth in check.

She looked down and shook her head. The apparent sadness that graced her countenance shocked him to his core while igniting a fire of curiosity. "Why not? I'm sure you've had plenty of offers."

She looked up at him not denying that there had been offers. "None of them came from the right guy, Sam."

He couldn't resist the opening. "Well apparently Luke wasn't the 'right guy' but you still took him up on his offer. So what's the difference now?"

"I've figured out who the right guy is now. I'm not walking away from any chance I might have with him." She looked up defiantly meeting his eyes.

He was not in a mood to make things easy for her. She had walked all over his heart once. "Well I'll have to meet this amazing guy sometime then, McNally. He might need a warni…."

Sam's sentence was abruptly brought to an end by Andy's soft and insistent lips crashing down on his. Her hands pressed firmly on his chest gently snaked their way up and around his neck where her fingers found their way into his thick dark hair.

When they broke for air, she pulled back and returned to her spot across the kitchen. Her eyes, however, never left Sam. He needed a break, so while turning to locate the beer he had set down amidst all the physicality he stated in a tone that was a mix of surprise and admiration, "Well HE definitely needed a warning."

When he looked up again, Andy's face was turned, her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, and her beer bottle was pressed to her lips for a long deep swig. Unbeknownst to her he quickly and confidently took the few steps required to reach her across his kitchen. As she set the bottle down and turned to face him she came face to face with his smoldering eyes. His hand came up and brushed her hair back even as he closed the distance between their bodies pulling her into him and kissing her deeply and passionately.

This was not the response Andy thought she was going to get. She surrendered her control to the passion of the moment and was soon wrapped around Sam's solid form as he lifted her onto the countertop still not relinquishing his control.

That's when the oven timer gratuitously sounded it's long shrill beep. Sam reluctantly eased back from Andy's form, running his fingers through her hair and down her cheek. "We should get that," he calmly stated and dipped his head for a quick kiss as she slid off the counter.


	4. Chapter 4

**So I'm sincerely apologetic that this took SOOOOOOO long. Suffice it to say working full time, buying a house, a break up, and starting medical school eats up ALL your free time. I have been able to catch up on the Rookie Blue season though, and I'm loving it. Hope you guys are too!**

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As Sam pulled away, Andy reached for her beer bottle. She took a swig to cool down while stealing side long glances at Sam bent over pulling the pizza out of the oven. She was shocked by the passion Sam had poured into the kiss. She definitely wasn't expecting it and couldn't wait for more. So as he sat the pizza on the smooth stovetop, she slipped her arms around him from behind gently trailing her nails over his chest and abs. Sam chuckled low and deep. "Andy…?"

"Yeah, Sam…" she whispered in his ear, her voice thick with desire.

He was barely able to resist her. He loved what she was doing to him, but he hated it at the same time. He covered her delicate hands with his rough ones. "How about you help me set the table? We can watch that game if you still want to."

She pulled back like she'd just been burnt. She couldn't believe that he was suddenly pushing her away. It was just like the night of the black out when he had insisted on getting up when she was begging him to stay. The association stung. That retreat was the reason she had left that night and now here he was doing it all over again. "Sure…," she mumbled as she wondered away from him over to the cabinet where he kept the plates.

Sam was too busy regaining his composure to notice the play of emotions across Andy's countenance. He was just happy to have her here and to finally be on the same page. He wanted to do everything right. He couldn't imagine ruining another chance with her by not being able to control the intensity of his feelings. He managed to get himself together enough to slice the pizza she had made, inhaling deeply as he sliced though the warm dough. The scent made his mouth water.

He carefully slid a couple of slices onto each of the plates Andy had left on the countertop. When he turned around to carry the plates into the living room he saw her squared off shoulders as she sat staring at the game on TV. He mentally cursed whatever it was that had changed her mood. By the time he got to the living room with the food, she was a third of the way through her beer.

He sat the food down but knelt in front of her, effectively cutting off her reach for a slice. "Sam, move. I can't eat with you in the way."

"Andy, don't shut down on me. Talk to me. What's wrong?" His eyes were full of warmth when she met them.

There was just something about him that broke through here shell even though she had been intent on leaving as soon as possible only moments before. "This isn't a game to me, Sam. If you don't want to be with me then the least you could do is tell me." She looked at him accusingly.

He looked up at her confused. "I thought I was pretty clear back there, Andy. But if you missed that…" Sam moved up running his warm hand up her thigh as he kissed her deeply and passionately.

Andy was lost in his kiss once again. Her hands instinctively moved under Sam's t-shirt running up and down his abs and chest like she had in the kitchen. Sam sat on the couch next to her and grabbed her hips pulling her on top of his lap. She gasped at the sudden contact, which made Sam instantly stop to scan her features for any sign that she was uncomfortable. She took the opportunity to move against him while staring at him suggestively. He groaned. _This woman is going to be the death of me._ "Andy," he managed huskily while grinning back at her, "if you keep that up we aren't going to make it to dinner."

She giggled, suddenly realizing why he had stopped her wandering hands in the kitchen. "Pizza reheats well." She whispered in his ear before lightly nibbling her way down his neck.

His hips arched into hers in response and his hands quickly pulled her shirt off, which exposed her neck and shoulders for his rough, insistent kisses. The sensations sent chills down her spine. She smoothly reached between them for his belt buckle and the button on his jeans.


End file.
